Warhead fragmentation effectiveness is determined by the number, mass, shape, and velocity of the warhead's fragments. By using a controlled fragmentation design, warhead fragmentation can generally be achieved quickly and in a cost effective manner. Exemplary controlled fragmentation techniques are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,491,694; 4,312,274; 4,745,864; 5,131,329; and 5,337,673.
Conventional designs in general use “cutter” liners that form fragments by generating a complex pattern of high-velocity “penetrators” for fragmenting the shell. Although these conventional fragmentation designs have proven to be useful, it would be desirable to present additional functional, cost and safety improvements that minimize the warhead weight, reduce manufacture expenses, and are less sensitive to unintended explosions. Explosive type fragmentation devices may be seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,701 to Earl E. Wilhelm; in U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,005 to Mathew Rothman; and in U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,060 to Haag et al, the entire file wrapper contents of which patents are hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth.
What is needed in this field is an inexpensive warhead which in addition provides the user an ability to select in advance, the degree of fragmentation, and sizes of fragmentation, for particular targets. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a warhead includes a liner that is disposed inside the warhead body, filled with the warhead's explosive, such allowing the detonation shock wave to directly propagate into the fragments. As a result, the explosion produces a complex pattern of shear planes in the warhead body, causing shell break-up and release of fragments with predetermined sizes. This design is distinguishable from existing fragmentation liner technologies that attempt to score or cut the warhead body. One of the advantages of the present embodiment compared to existing technologies is the cost effectiveness of the manufacturing process of the present design, in that it is faster and more economical to fabricate, as opposed to notching or cutting a steel warhead body itself.